Charlotte, NC (Tuesday,November4, 2025) –TheEnvironmentalEducation Initiative today announcedthe five2025-2026recipientsofThe National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)Greening STEM Grant.TheEnvironmental Education InitiativebyDiscoveryEducationwithNEEFand other partnersisa first-of-its-kindprogramdesignedtoengagestudentsin environmentalscience,empowerthem tomake informed decisionsforhealthy environments, andpromotecivic engagement.Discovery Educationis the maker of essential PreK-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world.
TheGreeningSTEMGrantssupportprograms that infuse environmental science and resources into schoolcurriculumfocused on student-directed investigations of relevant topics of research, local environmental issues, orissuesimpactinglocal public lands.
“Through thesegrants, we seek to challenge formal and nonformal educators to design and deliver STEM programming that engages youth in place-based learning,” said RobertSendrey, program director for environmental education at NEEF. “We also hope to empower educators to build a culture that values using the environment as a context for improving student learning and achievement.”
Projects that actively involved students in citizen/community science or environmental monitoring during the 2025–2026 school year were especially highlighted, reflecting the value of experiential, place-based STEM education.The following projects have been selected to receive up to $7,000 each inSTEM grant funding:
Growing Green
Fairfield County School DistrictinWinnsboro, South Carolina
The “Growing Green” project is a student-led greenhouse initiative in Winnsboro, South Carolina, focused on hands-on environmental STEM learning for Grades 5-6. The project involves 80 students and aims to enhance 21st-century skills through immersive learning of earth and life sciences. Instructional strategies integrate Greening STEM methods, including project-based and community-based approaches. Project partners include Fairfield Career and Technology Center, Sandhill Research and Education Center, and various other stakeholders.
Exploring Earth & Beyond: Connecting Local Learning to the Cosmos
Fairfield County School DistrictinWinnsboro, South Carolina
During this interdisciplinary project for Grades 5-6, approximately 100 students will explore concepts related to Earth’s place in the universe, light and shadows, and gravitational force through place-based investigations, moon phase journals, digital and 3D scale model building, and interactive science labs using real data. The project will culminate with a field trip to the South Carolina State Museum Planetarium in Columbia, South Carolina, where students willparticipatein a full-dome immersive planetarium show and interact with museum exhibits that reinforce classroom learning.Partners include the South Carolina State Museum Planetarium, local STEM professionals, and community members.
School Garden
R.E. Davis College Preparatory AcademyinSumter, South Carolina
This projectinvolves a school garden initiative that integrates STEM classes and an after-school gardening club. Theanticipatedimpact includes teaching over 20 students gardening skills in small spaces. Instructional strategies involve student involvement, community support, and curriculum integration, including project-based learning and the use of a Garden STEM science curriculum. Local partners liketheClemsonUniversityCooperative Extension and SumterCounty MasterGardenersAssociation willsupport gardening projects and educational activities. Additionally, the projectwill task students withdesigningrobotsthat could help improve classroom learning while enhancing productivity in the school garden.
Bengal Biodiesel
Blythewood High School, Richland School District TwoinBlythewood, South Carolina
The Bengal Biodiesel program at Blythewood High School recycles cooking oil into biodiesel for school transport and produces hand soap from glycerin waste.Funding for this project will help expand the existing biodiesel program whilepartneringwith organizations for student learning experiencesand trainingstudents to become leaders in sustainability.Approximately40 students will gain marketable skills and over100 hoursof hands-on experience through the program, which involves producing biodiesel for school buses. The program has partnered with organizationssuch as the Palmetto Clean Fuels Coalition, South Carolina Energy Office, and Green Energy Biofuelto provide internships, industry-standard procedures, and audits to enhancethe studentexperience.
Free Home Green Team
Free Home Elementary SchoolinCanton, Georgia
The “Free Home Green Team” project at Free Home Elementary School aims to implement a Greening STEM project involving school-wide recycling and STEM activities to reduce their carbon footprint, expand existing STEM programs, and engage 300 students in real-time environmental impact awareness. The project includes instructional strategies focusing on real-world conservation, data collection, and hands-on experiences with the school’s STEM Cart, which has developmentallyappropriate STEMgames and activity kits for each grade level. Project partners include Free Home Elementary’s Green School Coordinator—whois responsible forshowing students which materials are acceptable to recycle at binslocatedaround campus—andthe localPTA, which will helpachieveprojectgoals of reducing plastic use, lowering energy costs, and increasing community engagement.
The funding recipients were selected fromamong the membersoftheDiscovery Educator Network,or DEN. A global community of education professionals, the DEN connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration. This year, the DEN is celebrating 20 years of connecting educators to their most valuable resource: each other.
“Researchshowsthat students thrive when classroom lessons are engaging and connected to the broader world. These real-world connections not only strengthen critical thinking but also boost academic achievement.We’reproud to celebrate each of the STEM Grant recipients for their innovative work in expanding thelearning beyond theclassroom,”said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President ofCorporatePartnerships at Discovery Education. “Together with NEEF,we’reexcited to support these transformative projects and watch them come to life.”
For more information about Discovery Education’saward-winningdigital resources and professional learning solutions, visitwww.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media throughLinkedIn,Instagram,TikTok, andFacebook.
To access Environmental Education Initiative resources, visitenvironmentaleducationinitiative.discoveryeducation.com.Users ofDiscovery EducationExperiencecan find these resources on theEnvironmental Education Initiative channel.
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About NEEF
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, creating opportunities for people to experience and learn about the environment in ways that improve their lives and the health of the planet. Congressionally chartered in 1990, NEEF is a non-partisan, non-advocacy organization working to make the environment more accessible, relevant, and connected to people’s daily lives.
Learn more at NEEFusa.org—or follow NEEF on Facebook (Facebook.com/NEEFusa) and on Twitter at @NEEFusa.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leaderwhosestate-of-the-art, PreK-12, digital solutions help educators engage all students and support higher academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructionalsupports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education helps educators deliver powerful learning experiences. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and45 million studentsworldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential edtech solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.
Contacts
Amy Skalmusky
National Environmental Education Foundation
Email:askalmusky@neefusa.org
Grace Maliska
Discovery Education
Email:gmaliska@discoveryed.com
